APPENDIX. 



Description of the Muschelkalk and Quader- 

 sandstein. Bj/ A. von Humboldt. 



(Extracted from his Essai sur les Gisement des Roches, &c.) 



Muschelkalk. 



A FORMATION which varies but slightly, and whose vague 

 denominatioa of shelly limestone has caused it to be con- 

 founded out of Germany, with the lower or upper strata of 

 the oolite formation (with the lias or forest marble). It is 

 well characterized by its more simple structure, by the pro- 

 digious quantity of shells, that are partly broken, which it 

 contains, and by its position above the Nebra sandstone 

 (new red sandstone), and beneath the quadersandstein which 

 separates it from the oolite formation. It covers a vast por- 

 tion of northern Germany (Hanover, Heinberg near Gottin- 

 gen, Eichfeld, Cobourg, Westphalia, Pyrmont, and Biel- 

 feld), where it is much thicker than the zechstein or Alpine 

 limestone (magnesian limestone). 



It extends in southern Germany throughout the platform 

 between Hanau and Stutgard. In France, where, notwith- 

 standing the labours of Omalius d'Halloy, the secondary 

 formations beneath the chalk have been so long neglected, 



